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Pastor salary
Average pastor salary
$44,787
How much does a pastor make?
The average pastor salary in the United States is $44,787. Pastor salaries typically range between $30,000 and $64,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for pastors is $21.53 per hour.
Pastor salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Pastors earn the highest average salary in Hawaii.
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Where can a Pastor earn more?
Pastor salary estimates from across the web
Average pastor salary by state
Highest paying states for pastors
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia | $62,472 | $30.03 |
| 2 | Delaware | $63,184 | $30.38 |
| 3 | Maine | $61,594 | $29.61 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $61,763 | $29.69 |
| 5 | Hawaii | $69,052 | $33.20 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $59,402 | $28.56 |
| 7 | District of Columbia | $62,306 | $29.95 |
| 8 | Vermont | $55,556 | $26.71 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $53,193 | $25.57 |
| 10 | California | $55,305 | $26.59 |
| 11 | Arizona | $51,781 | $24.89 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $49,137 | $23.62 |
| 13 | Ohio | $49,392 | $23.75 |
| 14 | Maryland | $54,898 | $26.39 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $51,005 | $24.52 |
| 16 | Michigan | $47,676 | $22.92 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $46,600 | $22.40 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $46,432 | $22.32 |
| 19 | Alabama | $44,847 | $21.56 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $46,085 | $22.16 |
| 21 | Texas | $44,031 | $21.17 |
| 22 | Nevada | $44,631 | $21.46 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $42,885 | $20.62 |
| 24 | Florida | $45,869 | $22.05 |
| 25 | Iowa | $42,683 | $20.52 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $47,863 | $23.01 |
| 27 | Virginia | $47,407 | $22.79 |
| 28 | Idaho | $44,204 | $21.25 |
| 29 | Colorado | $44,115 | $21.21 |
| 30 | New York | $46,933 | $22.56 |
| 31 | Indiana | $41,059 | $19.74 |
| 32 | Utah | $41,140 | $19.78 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $42,595 | $20.48 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $42,915 | $20.63 |
| 35 | Washington | $40,809 | $19.62 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $40,988 | $19.71 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $40,764 | $19.60 |
| 38 | Missouri | $40,751 | $19.59 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $40,790 | $19.61 |
| 40 | Oregon | $40,350 | $19.40 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $39,108 | $18.80 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $40,593 | $19.52 |
| 43 | Georgia | $40,650 | $19.54 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $39,518 | $19.00 |
| 45 | Illinois | $40,696 | $19.57 |
| 46 | Kansas | $38,634 | $18.57 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $35,233 | $16.94 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $33,836 | $16.27 |
| 49 | Montana | $30,723 | $14.77 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $31,205 | $15.00 |
| 51 | Alaska | $25,476 | $12.25 |
Highest paying cities for pastors
The highest-paying cities for pastors are Worcester, MA, San Francisco, CA, and Gaithersburg, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester, MA | $59,603 | $28.66 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $55,997 | $26.92 |
| 3 | Gaithersburg, MD | $54,680 | $26.29 |
| 4 | Yuma, AZ | $52,844 | $25.41 |
| 5 | Alexandria, VA | $48,027 | $23.09 |
| 6 | Hackensack, NJ | $47,615 | $22.89 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $47,274 | $22.73 |
| 8 | Greenfield, WI | $47,107 | $22.65 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $46,661 | $22.43 |
| 10 | Tampa, FL | $45,655 | $21.95 |
| 11 | Houston, TX | $45,338 | $21.80 |
| 12 | Las Vegas, NV | $45,060 | $21.66 |
| 13 | Colorado Springs, CO | $44,669 | $21.48 |
| 14 | Richmond, KY | $43,665 | $20.99 |
| 15 | Edina, MN | $42,884 | $20.62 |
| 16 | Chicago, IL | $41,028 | $19.73 |
| 17 | Federal Way, WA | $40,970 | $19.70 |
| 18 | Duluth, GA | $40,639 | $19.54 |
| 19 | Olathe, KS | $38,929 | $18.72 |
| 20 | Lincoln, NE | $31,271 | $15.03 |
Pastor salary details
A pastor's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $64,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a pastor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| Average | $44,787 | $3,732 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
Highest paying pastor jobs
The highest paying types of pastors are hospice chaplain, evangelist, and hospital chaplain.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hospice Chaplain | $52,027 | $4,336 | $25.01 | 9,571 |
| Chaplain | $46,392 | $3,866 | $22.30 | 2,600 |
| Chaplain Resident | $45,343 | $3,779 | $21.80 | 7,901 |
| Youth Minister | $41,513 | $3,459 | $19.96 | 2,830 |
| Evangelist | $50,297 | $4,191 | $24.18 | 753 |
| Youth Pastor | $39,712 | $3,309 | $19.09 | 3,120 |
Which companies pay pastors the most?
Pastor salaries at Bethel Church and Victory Church are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average pastor salary at companies like First Baptist Church of Glenarden and The Journey Church are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bethel Church | $67,378 | $32.39 |
| 2 | Victory Church | $65,681 | $31.58 |
| 3 | First Baptist Church of Glenarden | $63,592 | $30.57 |
| 4 | The Journey Church | $63,017 | $30.30 |
| 5 | Lifepoint Church Ohio | $51,364 | $24.69 |
| 6 | East Penn Manufacturing | $51,236 | $24.63 |
| 7 | Westminster Presbyterian Church | $50,033 | $24.05 |
| 8 | United Methodist Church | $49,182 | $23.65 |
| 9 | FCC Bristol, RI | $49,118 | $23.61 |
| 10 | The MIL Corporation | $48,121 | $23.14 |
| 11 | Kenneth Copeland Ministries | $44,632 | $21.46 |
| 12 | Red Gold | $43,362 | $20.85 |
| 13 | Calvary Lutheran Church | $43,146 | $20.74 |
| 14 | Immanuel | $42,251 | $20.31 |
| 15 | First Evangelical Lutheran Church | $41,157 | $19.79 |
| 16 | EVERGREEN PRESBYTERIAN | $41,157 | $19.79 |
| 17 | Pilgrim Baptist Church | $41,157 | $19.79 |
| 18 | Community Church | $41,157 | $19.79 |
| 19 | First United Church of Christ | $41,157 | $19.79 |
| 20 | Congregational Church Retirement Community | $41,157 | $19.79 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Pastor salary trends
The average pastor salary has risen by $6,726 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average pastor earned $38,061 annually, but today, they earn $44,787 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for pastors over the last decade.
Compare pastor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average pastor salary over time
Compare pastor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Pastor salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,800 | $21.53 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $43,500 | $20.89 | +2.8% |
| 2023 | $42,200 | $20.31 | +3.9% |
| 2022 | $40,600 | $19.53 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $39,400 | $18.96 | +3.3% |
Recently added pastor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covenantseminary | Solo Pastor | Downe, NJ | 12/17/2024 | $60,000 |
| Thebay | Pastor | Delaware | 12/16/2024 | $80,000 |
| Ministrylist | Pastor | Rhode Island | 12/16/2024 | $75,000 |
| Willow Creek Community Church | Student Pastor | Kane, IL | 12/13/2024 | $45,000 |
| Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Inc. | Pastor for Worship In Song | Duncan, OK | 12/12/2024 | $12,000 |
| Covenant Theological Seminary | Pastor/Teaching Elder | Beaver Falls, PA | 12/12/2024 | $90,000 |
| Madison Park Church of God, Inc. | Worship Arts Pastor | Twin Cities Church | Grass Valley, CA | 12/11/2024 | $75,000 |
| Ministrylist | Bi-Vocational Pastor | Taos, NM | 12/11/2024 | $20,000 |
| Ministrylist | Pastor | Neptune, NJ | 12/11/2024 | $70,000 |
| 820 The Word | Community Life Pastor | Redding, CA | 12/10/2024 | $70,000 |
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